Toy Industry Association (TIA) Elects New Leadership at Annual General Meeting

MIAMI, May 4, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Toy Industry Association (TIA) announced the election of eight new members to the TIA Board of Directors for two-year terms of office expiring in 2018 during its Annual General Meeting held in Miami, Florida. The meeting also saw the chairmanship gavel pass to David Hargreaves of Hasbro, Inc. from retiring Board Chairman John Gessert of American Plastic Toys.

Nominated to serve their first terms on the TIA Board were Kathleen Campisano, Vice President of Toys & Games, Barnes & Noble, Inc.; Jennifer Caveza, Senior Vice President, Toys and Business Development, Nickelodeon Consumer Products; Charlie Emby, Co-President, Just Play, LLC; Barbara Finigan, Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary, Hasbro, Inc.; Skip Kodak, Senior Vice President, Americas, LEGO Systems, Inc.; Masayuki Nagatake, COO-US & Europe Business Division, TOMY International; Geoffrey Walker, Executive Vice President, North America Division, Mattel, Inc.; and Nancy Zwiers, Chief Marketing Officer, Spin Master Corp.

Re-elected for another term, set to expire in 2018, were Drew Brazer, Vice President of Sales, North America, LEGO Systems, Inc. (second term); Jeffrey Kennis, President, Enchanted Moments (third term); and William To, President, VTech Electronics North America, LLC (second term). Joining Hargreaves on the Executive Committee are Bob Wann (Playmonster! LLC), who assumed the role of Vice Chairman/Chairman Elect, and Shirley Price (Funrise, Inc.), who assumed the role of Secretary-Treasurer. Manuel Torres (NBC Universal Brand Development) and Geoffrey Walker (Mattel, Inc.) were also introduced as members of the Executive Committee.

The following retiring Board members were recognized for their service: Andrea Barthello, ThinkFun, Inc.; William Beebe, Playmates Toys Inc.; and Sam Harwell, Big Time Toys, LLC.

The Annual General Meeting included remarks by TIA President & CEO Steve Pasierb, who shared accomplishment highlights from last year and TIA's vision for growth. Outgoing Secretary-Treasurer Bob Wann provided an overview of TIA's financial position.

“The Toy Industry Association is dedicated to delivering unparalleled service and membership excellence,” said Pasierb. “Our growth to represent a robust 998 members is representative of that commitment and testament not only to the vitality of the toy industry as a whole, but to the business support, educational resources, and domestic and global opportunities we offer members that help their companies flourish.”

Open to members and non-members, the 2016 TIA Annual General Meeting was held in conjunction with PlayCon, TIA's International Conference of Play Professionals, held in Miami, Florida from May 2-4.

About the Toy Industry Association (TIA)   www.toyassociation.org / www.thegeniusofplay.org
Founded in 1916, the Toy Industry Association™, Inc. (TIA) is the not-for-profit trade association representing all businesses involved in creating and delivering toys and youth entertainment products for kids of all ages. Over the past 100 years, TIA has led the health and growth of the toy industry, and today its 900+ members account for an estimated 90% of the annual $22 billion U.S. domestic toy market. The Association serves as the industry's voice on the cognitive, social, emotional and creative benefits of play, and promotes play's positive impact on childhood development to consumers and media. TIA has a long history of leadership in toy safety, having helped develop the first comprehensive toy safety standard more than 40 years ago, and remains committed to working with medical experts, government, consumers and industry on ongoing programs to ensure safe and fun play.

SOURCE Toy Industry Association